The White-breasted Waterhen is a large (33
cm) rail with dark slaty-gray upperparts, white face, breast and belly, and
rufous rear flanks, vent and undertail coverts. The bill is greenish yellow
with a red frontal shield, the legs are dark yellow and the iris is red.
White-breasted Waterhens are found in a wide variety of freshwater habitats
such as marshes, lakes, ponds, ditches, rice fields, river shores, and
grassy areas with reeds and shrubs. They are omnivorous, eating worms,
molluscs, insects, spiders and small fish in addition to grass seeds, shoots
and roots of marsh plants.

In Taiwan the breeding season is from March
to July. The nest is a shallow platform of twigs, stems and leaves, placed
either on the ground near water, or in a shrub or thicket up to 2 m above
ground, sometimes far from water. The number of eggs may vary from 4 to 9.
The black chicks leave the nest soon after hatching, and are cared for by
both parents. During the breeding season White-breasted Waterhens are very
vocal, especially in early morning and evening; they make a loud series of
croaks, grunts and cackles, as well as a persistent “ku-o, ku-o, ku-o”. The
White-breasted Waterhen is a common resident of Taiwan year-round in paddy
fields, ponds and marshes at elevations below 700 m.

References: Handbook of
Birds of the World Vol. 3; The Complete Guide to Birds in Taiwan (Jin-yuan
Wang)